What A Novel Idea
by DeBo81
Summary: Just a very short fluff piece, that I guess could be considered an alternative ending to the two part episodes of 3.16 & 3.37  Set up and Count down . Possible Spoilers!  This isn't a serious piece, just one I had a little fun with. Hope you enjoy!


**OK, so this is just a silly fluff piece that I wrote in 15 minutes, mainly out of my frustrations with Dr. Josh! This story is directly after the season 3, two parter of "Set Up" and "Countdown" (episodes 16 &17)**

**I will give a Spoiler warning for these 2 episodes, although I'd don't know that it's entirely necessary. I don't think I really gave anything away**,** but better to be safe than sorry!**

**Also I'm a Review Junkie! So if you'd like to be an enabler and let me know what you think of this, I'd LOVE to hear it!**

**I don't own any Castle characters, I just use them as my personal puppets and give them back!**

**Hope you enjoy this!**

What a Novel Idea

Kate Beckett finished putting her files away in her desk, turned off her computer, stood and stretched.

"Go home boys. These last few days have taken a toll on all of us. Go home to Lanie and Jenny and I'll see you Monday."

Detectives Ryan and Esposito, didn't need to be told twice and began clearing away their work.

Rick Castle who had been in the break room emerged and approached Beckett.

"Finally done with all the paper work?"

"Yes. This whole thing with the bomb and all the people involved, and the fact that we were both within moments of dying, twice... I'm just glad it's over. I pray we never have to deal with anything like that again."

"Me too. Although it does keep life interesting." Rick held out Kate's jacket for her as she slid her arms in. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving! What do you have in mind?"

"How about Greek food? There's a place near my loft that makes the best gyros and baklava in the entire city."

"Sound perfect. I haven't had a gyro in forever!"

Rick and Kate sat on opposite sides of a small booth making small talk while they waited for their food.

Before long, Kate's phone began to ring. Rick could see from his seat that the picture on the caller ID was Kate's beloved Dr. Josh.

_Bastard!_ Rick thought, but then tried to listen in on the conversation.

Kate didn't say much, only a few words here and there. Emotion seemed to plague her face though. It wasn't long before she hung up and put her phone back into her pocket.

"So, was McDreamy wondering where you were?"

"No, in fact he was just telling me that he finally made it to Haiti safely, and that they were opening a new clinic down there and he has been asked to head it up. He'll be there for at least a year."

"Where does that leave you?"

"Here. Alone."

"And how does that make you feel?

Just then the waitress brought their food, delaying Kate's answer.

"Well if you must know, Dr. Castle. I'm Ok with it. This is his true love and passion. I wouldn't try to replace that, nor would I want to. Things with us have been falling apart now for a while. I guess I've been looking for an out. Now I have it."

She picked up a fry and took a bite. "Besides, he's almost as jealous of you, as you are of him!"

"I'm not..."

Kate's look killed any further denial from Castle.

They ate in silence for a while, then tried idle chic chat. After Rick grabbed the check and paid, they headed back out onto the street.

"So, Kate, are you still looking for that person to be there for you, and you for him? The one you want to dive into it together with?"

Kate stopped walking and looked at Rick. "Well I haven't found him in the last five days since I told you that, so yes, I guess I am."

Before he could talk himself out of it, Rick wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard. To his surprise she returned the kiss with even more energy.

After a couple long passionate moments on the sidewalk he pulled back and took her hand. "Come on." Together they ran, and laughed, hand in hand, down the block to his building.

In the elevator they resumed their embrace and began unbuttoning each others coats just to get closer to each others warm, solid bodies.

When they entered the loft, the door was barely closed before a trail of clothes began to form, creating a path to Rick's master bedroom.

Soon both were completely naked and Kate pulled Rick down onto the bed with her. The next hour was spent laughing, loving, exploring.

When they were both quite spent from their vigorous and ardent love making, he held her to his chest.

"You know this isn't how I ever imagined this would happen." He spoke softly.

"Me either. And you know what, I have this strange feeling like it isn't even our first time. Even though I know that it is!"

"Me too! Hey this might sound strange but do you ever feel like sometimes you live your day over and over and over again, or like your life gets paused, rewound, or fast forwarded, like you're living in someone's Ti-vo?"

"Yes! You do too?"

"All the time! Especially on Mondays and Tuesdays! It's weird. I just thought it was the stress of a new work week, reeking havoc on me. Because I only started feeling like this when I started hanging out at the 12th!"

"Do you have strange dreams too?"

"Like what kind of dreams?"

"Like... and I know this sounds really weird, but dreams about us, just living life in all different scenarios. I've had dreams where we've been snowed into Ryan's wedding, or where we're celebrating our wedding anniversary. I've had dreams where we've been married, made love, had children, caught bad guys, been kidnapped, adopted kids, taken vacations, been sick or injured or even been locked together in a panic room."

"I have had dreams like that. You have those too?"

"All the time! And a lot of times the dreams continue from night to night like chapters. Sometimes I can't wait to see what happens next. Sometimes I'm too scared to even shut my eyes and find out what's coming."

"Exactly! It's like we're characters in one of my books."

"I am so glad to know I'm not the only one who feels like this."

Castle leaned over the beautiful woman in his arms and kissed with with fiery intensity. "Would you like to make some of those dreams come true?"

Kate chose not to answer with her words but instead with her actions, and soon both were soaring again with love and pleasure.

It would be a long happy night, that set a pattern for their future together.

And they lived happily ever after!

A woman sitting at her desk, leaned back after reading and re-reading the words on the screen before her. A best seller it was not, but she was happy with how the story had evolved. Soon the friendly strangers that she wrote for would be reading these same words and she couldn't help but wonder what they'd think.

It was another happy ending for her favorite characters though, and so she put them to bed for the night. Tomorrow was another day, another story, another chapter, and perhaps another dream for a happy New York author and detective.

**Well, that's it! Just a nod to all of us obsessed fans! If I referenced a fanfic that you've written, I hope you don't mind! In fact, if you'd like to... I encourage you to leave the name of your story in the reviews so others can find it and read it as well!**

**Thanks for reading! Have a great day!**


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